Recording Industry Plans "Amnesty" for Music Sharers

San Francisco - Numerous news sources, including Billboard
and Associated Press, have reported since yesterday that the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) will
announce an "amnesty" program for people who are sharing
music files online perhaps as early as next week.

"Rather than demanding that 60 million people sharing music
files turn themselves in with a so-called 'amnesty' program,
the recording industry should take this opportunity to make
file-sharing legal in exchange for a reasonable fee," said
Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Staff Attorney Wendy
Seltzer. "Stepping into the spotlight to admit your guilt is
probably not a sensible course for most people sharing music
files online, especially since the RIAA doesn't control many
potential sources of lawsuits."

EFF will continue to monitor developments and will post
information on its website regarding the RIAA "amnesty"
program as details become available.